National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children
eNewsletter, Issue 3, April 2015
Welcome to the third issue of the National Plan e-newsletter.
On Australia Day we saw Rosie Batty announced as the 2015 Australian of the Year, for her
commitment to championing efforts to fight domestic violence after the loss of her 11-year old son,
Luke. Throughout 2014, we witnessed Rosie Batty’s courage in speaking out and giving a voice to
women experiencing violence, inspiring the Australian community to recognise that family violence
can happen to anyone, regardless of circumstance or history.
This has been a busy quarter, with the elevation of the issue of violence against women to the Council
of Australian Governments in 2015; International Women’s Day on 8 March, with the theme Make it
happen; the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), and an announcement
that the Commonwealth Government would provide $230 million to extend the National Partnership
Agreement on Homelessness to 2017.
In this issue, you’ll hear from NT Minister for Women’s Policy, the Hon Bess Nungarrayi Price MLA,
find an article about the launch of the new Daisy app, updates from Our Watch and ANROWS and
details about White Ribbon Australia’s new Diversity Program. You’ll also get updates from
governments around the country about work they’re doing in 2015 to reduce violence against women.
We would like to thank everyone for their support of the National Plan and your ongoing efforts to
make Australia safer for women and their children in 2015.
MESSAGE FROM THE HON BESS NUNGARRAYI PRICE MLA
As we celebrated International Women’s Day around the country and the world, it is timely to look at
how far the National Plan has come and the opportunities we have before us to ensure that the
national lens remains focused on confronting the scourge of family and domestic violence, and in
particular, the prevalent violence against women and their children.
The National Plan is a great achievement. This is the first comprehensive long-term plan, which
brings together Commonwealth, state and territory governments, organisations, communities, women
and men, to reduce violence against women and their children. At its core, the National Plan
acknowledges that where gender inequality exists, the equal right of women and their children to be
safe and free from violence can be disrespected and too often with horrendous effects. Herein lies the
place where our hearts and minds must meet to ensure our society and communities never accept
violence against women and their children. The National Plan provides a strong framework for us to
work together towards this important goal. But it is just the first step. The First Action Plan stirred
energy and commitment. The Second Action Plan is the practical action.
The rights of women and women’s safety are priority matters for me. My personal experiences of
family and domestic violence have shaped my views and drive me towards action. In the Northern
Territory, especially in my home region of Alice Springs, the Integrated Response to Family and
Domestic Violence as part of our broader framework, ‘Safety is Everyone’s Right’, is already showing
remarkable results in keeping women safe. The first round of the Men’s Change Behaviour Program
is progressing well. We’ve seen the first group of graduates complete the Tangentyere Women’s
Committee Family Safety Training program. These are women living in town camps that have had
enough of the violence against women and their children in their community and are doing something
about it. These strong women have produced a great poster outlining their rights to be safe in their
homes and communities. They have undertaken the long-term and ongoing healing process for their
communities. For all communities around Australia, the same challenge applies. It is not an easy task
to change attitudes and acceptance built up over several generations. But we can do this.
Family and domestic violence is a matter for all Australians. Until each and every one of us makes
this a personal matter, we will not affect any change. We have to look at our own arenas and spaces,
our sporting clubs, workplaces, schools, political boardrooms, in the shopping centres, through our
everyday interactions and actions. We have to affect thinking around personal responsibility to want to
change, to help, to make it different because unless we change behaviours, we will fail. What then will
be the future for our children?
International Women’s Day reminds us of what we can each achieve as individuals and together what
we can overcome. But men must walk alongside women, side by side. Governments too must support
organisations, groups and individuals doing the hard work, strengthen and support women’s
development and leadership potential, ensure that service providers are adequately resourced to
support their communities, especially women affected by violence and its impacts.
As parents, we must recognise the importance of how we raise our children in imprinting gender
equality and respect from the very start. As a community we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to
what’s happening around us. We must learn how to respond positively, appropriately and effectively.
Together we can nurture a broader generosity of spirit and raise the standards in our communities
and reduce violence against women and their children. Let’s make it happen.
What has happened over the past three months?
25 January
28 January
Rosie Batty named as 2015 Australian of the Year
The Commonwealth Government announced that violence against women
would be a Council of Australian Governments priority in 2015 and a new
Advisory Panel on Violence against Women would be established
6 February
10-12 February
17 February
17-20 February
International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
Inaugural Asia-Pacific Conference on Gendered Violence & Violations
Release of “The Cost of Youth Homelessness in Australia” Snapshot Report
8th meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Protection of the Rights of
Women and Children
Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence began
Queensland’s Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence handed
down its report
23 February
28 February
2 March
4 March
5 March
8 March
18 March
9-20 March
Rosie Batty addressed the Parliamentarians against Family Violence forum
The Commonwealth Government announced it will work with state and
territory governments to develop a new national campaign focused on
reducing violence against women and their children
Launch of the Daisy App for women experiencing gendered violence
International Women’s Day
Parliamentary launch of the Refocus app
59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
23 March
26 March
28 March
The Commonwealth Minister for Social Services announced an extension of
funding for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness
The Commonwealth Attorney-General announced funding for the legal
assistance sector
New South Wales State Election
Feature stories
Violence against women as a COAG priority
On 28 January 2015, the Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, announced that addressing
violence against women would be a COAG priority in 2015. The Prime Minister also announced the
establishment of a new Advisory Panel on Violence against Women, with Ms Rosie Batty and former
Victorian Chief Commissioner, Mr Ken Lay, as founding members.
As part of this announcement, the Prime Minister announced three priorities for the COAG agenda:
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a national Domestic Violence Order (DVO) scheme;
national standards for perpetrator interventions; and
a national approach to dealing with online safety and the misuse of technology.
On 4 March 2015, the Prime Minister announced that the Commonwealth Government will work with
state and territory governments to deliver a national campaign focused on reducing violence against
women and their children.
In other critical national announcements:
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On 23 March 2015, Commonwealth Minister for Social Services, the Hon Scott Morrison MP,
announced $230 million to extend the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness
(NPAH) for two years to 2017, with funding priority given to frontline services focusing on
women and children experiencing domestic and family violence and homeless youth or youth
at risk of homelessness.
On 26 March 2015, the Commonwealth Attorney-General, Senator the Hon George Brandis
QC, announced that the Commonwealth Government will contribute over $1.372 billion to the
legal assistance sector over the next two years to 30 June 2017. This restoration of
$25.5 million of funding for Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres and
Indigenous legal service providers build on the Commonwealth Government’s significant
commitment to address domestic violence, both in terms of front line services and policies
that will lead to long term cultural change.
A message from Ken Lay AMP
As the Victoria Police Commissioner, I saw the damage that family violence and sexual assault can
wreak on communities and individuals. I regularly described these challenges as the most significant
law and order issue facing our community.
Despite the enormous resources that police, the courts, governments, and support agencies have
committed, we continue to see examples of men committing horrible and reprehensible acts of
violence against women and children.
Upon stepping down from my previous role, I was pleased to accept an invitation from the Prime
Minister, along with the 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, as a founding member of the COAG
Advisory Panel on Reducing Violence against Women. Whilst the Terms of Reference are still to be
finalised, this position will give both Rosie and me an opportunity to inform the debate at the very
highest levels, an opportunity to challenge the status quo, and an opportunity to contribute to a
building momentum for change.
The National Plan has created a vision, now it is up to all of us to translate this plan into outcomes
that will make our community safer. I feel proud and privileged to be involved.
As a community we have an opportunity, an opportunity that few before us have been given - we must
not waste it!
I am Daisy – A national app for women experiencing gendered violence
Meet Daisy, an app that connects women experiencing gendered violence to state and local services.
The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash and Ms Rosie
Batty launched the app on 5 March 2015. Minister Cash said, “Women experiencing violence have
well-founded fears around the concept of ‘just leaving’. We cannot forget the frightening statistic that
every week, one woman is killed by a current or former partner”.
Daisy supports women’s decision making and increases safety in a number of ways by including
information about:
 national 24/7 services
 state and territory services
 specialist services
 housing and legal services
 specialist services for CALD, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and
 children’s services.
Daisy offers:
 a quick exit button
 a get help button
 private web browsing, and
 a Technology Tips page to increase safety online.
Daisy is not just for women experiencing violence.
 Friends and family can use the app to support a loved one’s decision making, and
 workers to find the right services.
Rosie Batty praised the app, saying, “The phone is often the thing that you keep the closest so to
have all this information on an app is fantastic. It’s helpful and convenient and it will make connecting
to the right organisations a lot easier. Ultimately, Daisy helps raise awareness.”
Daisy is an initiative under the Second Action Plan, developed by 1800RESPECT, with input from all
state and territory governments. Share Daisy by tweeting at #iamdaisy and by sharing
1800RESPECT.org.au/daisy on your Facebook and twitter accounts.
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash and Ms Rosie Batty, Australian of the Year, at the launch of the Daisy app.
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Research
Program 2014-16
The ANROWS Research Program 2014-16 (Part 1) is well under way. This includes several projects
that are investigating integrated services and systems to determine what works when supporting
women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence and sexual assault.
The findings of these projects will aid in the development of good policies and practices to reduce
violence against women and their children. The projects include:
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the PATRICIA Project: Pathways And Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency working
Women’s Input to a Trauma-informed systems model of care in Health settings: The WITH study
meta-evaluation of existing interagency partnerships, collaboration, coordination and/or
integrated interventions and service responses to violence against women
Safe at Home meta-evaluation
evaluation of innovative models of interagency partnerships, collaboration and/or integrated
responses to family and/or sexual violence against women in Indigenous communities, and
establishing the connection between alcohol and other drug use and sexual victimisation.
ANROWS’s Research Program comprises 20 projects. Projects vary in length and results will be
delivered at different points over the next two years. More information on all research projects is
available on the ANROWS website. You can also subscribe to receive updates on research and
upcoming events, as well as the fortnightly ANROWS Notepad and quarterly ANROWS Footprints.
Consultation begins for national violence prevention framework
Our Watch, in partnership with ANROWS and VicHealth held the first of a series of nationwide
consultations on the development of the National Framework to Prevent Violence Against Women
and their Children.
Held in Adelaide on 26 February 2015, the consultation included stakeholders from state and local
government, community sector service providers, the health, sports, and media sectors, as well as
selected local academics.
Participants had the opportunity to hear about the development of the Framework and provide
feedback on a draft explanatory model for violence against women and their children, and provide
input into the emerging framework for prevention.
The Framework is bringing together international research, and nationwide experience, on what works
to prevent violence. As a critical part of this process, the current round of stakeholder consultations
will help ensure it is informed by the significant expertise and understanding that currently exists
across diverse fields and settings.
These consultations provide Our Watch the opportunity to ‘road test’ with stakeholders some of the
conceptual models, explanations, language and communication tools as part of the Framework.
Due for launch in mid to late 2015, the Framework aims to establish a shared understanding of the
evidence and principles of effective prevention, and present a way forward.
Rather than prescribing specific actions, the Framework will be a guide to assist governments and
other stakeholders to develop their own appropriate policies, strategies and programs to prevent
violence against women and their children. Consultations on the Framework are taking place across
Australia throughout March, April and May.
Opportunities for early intervention: bringing perpetrators of family violence
back into view
Australian of the Year, Ms Rosie Batty, launched the RMIT University report, Opportunities for early
intervention: bringing perpetrators of family violence back into view, on Thursday 19 March 2015 at
RMIT in Melbourne.
The report, produced by the RMIT Centre for Innovative Justice with funding from the Commonwealth
Attorney-General’s Department, recognises that family violence is a national epidemic in need of a
systemic response. It highlights the potential of the justice system to step in early and be proactive in
interventions with perpetrators of family and domestic violence.
The recommendations of the report explore opportunities for improving interventions with perpetrators
of family and domestic violence; including perpetrators’ contact with police agencies, justice, courts
and corrections systems and programme interventions. The report also calls for responses to dealing
with the intergenerational cycle of family violence through interventions which respond effectively to
adolescents who use violence, or children at risk of using violence.
New Diversity Program for White Ribbon Australia
White Ribbon is Australia’s only national, male led Campaign to end men’s violence against women.
The vision of White Ribbon is that all women live in safety, free from all forms of men’s violence.
White Ribbon recognise and support the positive role men play in preventing violence against women.
White Ribbon, with the support of the Australian and NSW Governments, is enhancing engagement
with Australia’s many culturally and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities through the White Ribbon Diversity Program. The Diversity Program is focusing on
making the White Ribbon Campaign more inclusive; build on existing strengths of the Campaign and
in collaboration with communities across Australia.
The Diversity Program will focus on:
 engaging culturally diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men as White Ribbon
Ambassadors
 building greater engagement with men and women from diverse communities through the
Advocates Program
 community engagement activities
 developing culturally accessible and appropriate resources to support community engagement
 eLearning and face-to-face training.
Craig Rigney, CEO of Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation in South Australia, talks to SBS
about White Ribbon’s program to recruit Ambassadors from culturally diverse backgrounds, including
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. Listen now! For more information please contact
diversity@whiteribbon.org.au
or visit the White Ribbon website.
Images provided by White Ribbon Australia.
DV-alert supporting integrated service delivery
RECOGNISE, RESPOND AND REFER is the tagline used for DV-alert (Domestic Violence Response
Training). Training is free of charge, nationally accredited and delivered by qualified Lifeline and
partner providers for health, allied health and frontline workers to recognise, respond and refer cases
of domestic and family violence.
The critical REFER component of the program focuses on effective referrals and how communities
and organisations can collaborate to support the integration of services. The objective of this
component is to reduce the number of times a woman and her children have to tell their story.
DV-alert brings workers from different professional, personal, cultural and religious backgrounds
together and facilitates a discussion over a 2 day workshop with the intention of building relationships
and helping reduce the issues faced due to poor referrals.
Acknowledging that engagement and referrals must be made in a culturally safe manner, Lifeline first
developed an Indigenous stream in 2012 and a multicultural stream in 2014, partnering with
Aboriginal and multicultural partner organisations across the country to deliver the workshops.
The partnerships have enhanced the program as we demonstrate integration of knowledge from both
our Lifeline trainer and our specialist partner provider trainer. Lifeline will be continuing to work with
our partner providers to deliver specialised DV-alert training across Australia over the coming year.
Visit the DV-alert website for more information on DV-alert and their partner providers.
The 59th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
(CSW59)
The prevention of violence against women and girls was central to Australia’s priorities at the 59 th
session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York (CSW59).
CSW59 was held in New York between 9 and 20 March. The Australian Government delegation was
led by the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash. The
focus for CSW59 was on reviewing progress made towards the empowerment of women and girls
and achieving gender equality since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
two decades ago. CSW59 also served to highlight challenges to achieving the agreement’s full
realisation.
Australia hosted and co-sponsored a range of side events over the two week period of CSW59. A
highly successful event was hosted together with the Women’s Services Network (WESNET) and
centred on preventing violence against women and girls in the digital and technological age. The
event was opened by Minister Cash and featured a panel discussion between the Australian
Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja AM, the Vice President of Development
and Innovation at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Cindy Southworth, the National
Chair of WESNET, Julie Oberin, and the Executive Chair of Saathi, Bandana Rana. The panel
generated robust discussion on the exploitation of technology by perpetrators of abuse, as well as the
role of technology in preventing violence against women and girls.
A recording of the event, “Preventing Violence against Women and Girls in the Digital and
Technological Age”, can be found at http://webtv.un.org/search/preventing-violence-against-womenand-girls-in-the-digital-and-technological-age
Left to right: Julie Oberin, Cindy Southworth, Minister Michaelia Cash, Bandana Rana, Natasha Stott Despoja.
Together with Our Watch, the Australian Government also co-hosted a side event focused on driving
social change to achieve gender equality and eliminate violence against women and girls. The event
featured a panel discussion between representatives from Our Watch, the Australian Women Against
Violence Alliance (AWAVA), South African based non-government organisation (NGO) Sonke Gender
Justice and the Brazilian based Promundo NGO. The event identified both the progress made and
challenges remaining in driving social change at the individual, community and government levels.
A recording of the “Where Does Change Come From? Driving Social Transformation to Prevent
Violence Against Women” event can be found at http://webtv.un.org/
HE FOR SHE
HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality developed by UN Women to engage men and
boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights.
The campaign encourages them to speak out and take action against inequalities faced by women
and girls.
On 3 March 2015, the Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, and the Opposition Leader, the Hon
Bill Shorten MP, signed a pledge at an International Women’s Day Parliamentary breakfast in
Canberra to “take action against all forms of violence and discrimination faced by women and girls”,
and to acknowledge that “gender equality is not only a women’s issue it is a human rights issue that
requires my participation”.
Updates from around the country
Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence
Australia’s first Royal Commission into Family Violence formally commenced in Victoria on
22 February 2015, and has been tasked with providing practical recommendations to prevent family
violence, based on an examination of the current service system and best practice approaches. The
Terms of Reference ask the Royal Commission to make recommendations on:
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prevention of family violence
early intervention to identify and protect those at risk of family violence and prevent the
escalation of violence
support for victims of family violence and measures to address the impacts on victims,
particularly women and children
perpetrator accountability.
Justice Marcia Neave AO has been appointed as Chair of the Royal Commission. Justice Neave will
be supported by two Deputy Commissioners, Patricia Faulkner AO and Tony Nicholson. The Royal
Commission will deliver its report in February 2016.
2015 Victorian Honour Roll of Women
The Minister for Women, Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, the Hon Fiona Richardson
MP, hosted a celebratory lunch on Wednesday 11 March 2015 to induct 22 outstanding women onto
the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. This year’s inductees have contributed to lasting change across
science and research, business and industry, prevention of family violence, community services,
Aboriginal affairs, health, training and education, and the arts.
Several inductees have been recognised for their dedication to raising awareness and advocating for
change to prevent and respond to family violence, including Mrs Wendy Austin, Ms Rosie Batty,
Mrs Delma Clapp, and Ms Maryclare Machen. Since its establishment in 2001, the Victorian Honour
Roll of Women has inducted 562 women, who have made a significant difference for women and
communities in Victoria, Australia or internationally.
A full list of inductees can be viewed on the Department of Premier and Cabinet website and for
further information on the Honour Roll, please contact vhrw@dpc.vic.gov.au.
Back row (L-R): Ms Janet Whiting, Ms Maryclare Machen, Ms Barbara Yeoh, Dr Jacqueline Boyle, Professor Christina Mitchell,
Dr Olga Kanitsaki AM, Professor Anne Mitchel AO, Ms Rosie Batty, Ms Rosemary Malone, Mr Jackson Williamson (for the Hon
Lynne Kosky), the Hon Fiona Richardson, Ms Ngardarb Francine Riches, Ms Caroline Elliott (for Mrs Lorraine Elliott AM), Ms
Deborah Cheetham AO, Miss Olivia Kurczycki (for Mrs Louise Kurczycki).
Front row (L-R): Ms Mary Lou Jelbart, Mrs Wendy Austin, Ms Olive Hamilton (for Dr Eva Eden AM), Ms Malvina Malinek OAM,
Miss Hana Jackson (for the Hon Lynne Kosky), Ms Karleen Plunkett, Mrs Delma Clapp, Sister Mary Glowrey LCM (for Dr Sr
Mary Glowrey).
FYI - those who are standing in for an inductee are their next of kin, as the inductee was nominated posthumously.
International Women’s Day in Tasmania
The Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPAC)'s Communities Sport and Recreation Tasmania
(CSRT) supported the Royal Hobart Research Foundation to host the International Women's Day Big
Breakfast in Hobart on 11 March 2015.
Tasmania’s first female Governor, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AM, was
the guest speaker. Her Excellency spoke about the importance of education and discussed the
gender pay gap.
The Tasmanian Minister for Women, the Hon Jacquie Petrusma MP, also spoke at the event,
acknowledging ground breaking Tasmania female politicians; the first female Speaker of the House of
Assembly Elise Archer MP, the first female Premier of Tasmania Lara Giddings MP and the first
female leader of a party, Senator Christine Milne.
CSRT also partnered with the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust to host the International
Women's Day Luncheon in Launceston on 4 March 2015. The Governor also spoke at this event.
Other International Women’s Day events in Tasmania included:
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The Hobart Women’s Health Centre IWD Quiz Show “Femmes and Facts”, which saw two
panels of women attempting to answer the impossible in a Spicks and Specks inspired quiz
night
The Australian Computer Society (Tasmania)’s networking event focusing on women in ICT;
The University of Tasmania’s International Women’s Day address presented by pioneering
journalist Helene Chung
Devonport City Council’s “Diamonds of Devonport” Dinner to recognise women who quietly
contribute to their community
The launch of the West Coast Women Get Active program in Queenstown
The full calendar of International Women’s Day Events for March 2015 is available.
The Tasmanian Women’s Plan 2013 – 2018 is the Tasmanian Government’s gender equality agenda,
with the objective of ‘equality for all women and girls and their full participation in the economic, social,
political and community life of Tasmania’.
International Women’s Day 2015 in Queensland
Queenslanders celebrated International Women’s Day 2015 by taking the theme, ‘Make it happen,’
literally – celebrations, breakfasts, talks and activities were held right across the state.
While the theme encouraged women to actively pursue their goals and aspirations, it also provided a
strong link for community-based events, with more than 70 events taking place.
In Brisbane, the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services were once again
proud sponsors of the UN Women’s International Women’s Day Breakfast and the Black, Bold and
Beautiful Indigenous Women’s Luncheon. Both of these are popular and important ‘sell-out’ events on
the IWD calendar and this year’s turnout was no exception.
The Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services tailored a community
awareness campaign in the lead-up to and throughout the IWD week. Central to the campaign was
connecting women to the wide range of information and services on the International Women’s Day –
Queensland Facebook page and the women’s web portal.
Multi Agency Protection Service (MAPS) in South Australia
An early intervention gateway for the sharing of information about domestic and family violence and
child protection matters has been operating since July 2014. Based on a similar model from the
United Kingdom, MAPS is led by the South Australia Police.
MAPS is a partnership between the Police and other State Government departments, including
correctional services, schools, child protection, health and housing. The statewide program brings
agencies together in a unique co-location arrangement.
MAPS streamlines the referral and notification processes of key agencies and enables them to
assess, analyse and respond to child protection and domestic violence issues in a more timely and
coordinated way. Currently MAPS referrals come from Police only, but when fully implemented the
service will extend to include referrals about domestic violence and child protection concerns from all
partner agencies. The work of MAPS is complementary to another South Australian initiative, the
Family Safety Framework.
South Australian Family Safety Framework
The Family Safety Framework (the Framework) seeks to ensure that services to families most at risk
of violence are provided in a structured and systematic way, through agencies sharing information
about high risk families and taking responsibility for supporting these families to navigate the service
system.
The Framework involves an agreement across government departments, non-government
organisations and agencies for a consistent understanding and approach to domestic and family
violence that has a focus on women’s and children’s safety and the accountability of perpetrators.
Stakeholders participate in Family Safety Meetings, held fortnightly at the local level focusing on
individual high risk cases and common risk assessment, to ensure consistency in the assessment and
actioning of high risk cases.
Initially trialled in three policing regions in 2007, the Framework now encompasses all of South
Australia. Since November 2013 Family Safety Meetings are held in 19 regions throughout
metropolitan and regional South Australia on an ongoing basis.
ACT reconfirms commitment to tackling domestic violence
On 17 March 2015, the ACT Legislative Assembly passed a motion by the Attorney-General Simon
Corbell MLA that recognised the abhorrence of family and domestic violence, and called on all
governments, political parties and the community to work together to put an end to the harm it causes
in our society. “Everyone in the community plays a role in addressing this violence
by working towards a culture that is safe, respectful and just for all. We must view acts of domestic
and family abuse as intolerable and have a strong and ongoing commitment to ending this violence”
Mr Corbell said.
Earlier in the month, Mr Corbell announced an extra $300,000 in funding from the Confiscated Asset
Trust Fund for domestic violence prevention, following the death of Tara Costigan. These funds will
be used for a number of purposes aimed at addressing domestic and family violence and will go
toward women’s safety grants, the Domestic Violence Prevention Council and strengthening data
collection on domestic violence crime. Mr Corbell reaffirmed the commitment of the ACT to curb
domestic violence “I am proud that our government is changing support services to be more
responsive to those most in need in our community.”
Dates for your diary
10-19 April
April
National Youth Week
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Meeting
18-19 May
Child Aware Approaches Conference
Mid-late 2015
Launch of the National Framework for Prevention of Violence against Women
and their Children
18-19 May – Child Aware Approaches Conference
Families Australia and the Commonwealth Government Department of Social Services invite you to
the 3rd annual Child Aware Approaches Conference (CAA 2015) in Melbourne from 18-19 May 2015.
The focus of the conference is Innovations in early intervention, community collaboration and
partnership beyond the child & family welfare sector.
Advancing the goals of the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020, CAA
2015 will bring together a broad range of practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers interested in
developing new strategies and forging new links to develop a deeper understanding of the
approaches needed to make the safety and wellbeing of Australia's children a shared community
responsibility.
The conference will provide a unique forum in which to advance thinking and innovative practice in
five key thematic areas:
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Building stronger partnerships across sectors
Strengthening families across the life course, including restoration of relationships
Detection and prevention strategies to prevent harm to children
Working with community leaders to improve outcomes for Indigenous children
Working within diverse communities to promote child aware approaches
Have your say!
We would love to hear from you! If you’d like your event included in this newsletter, or have other
questions, comments or ideas, please email us.
If you’ve not done so already, please subscribe to receive this e-Newsletter.
Do you need help?
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence or sexual assault, get help
by calling:
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000 if you, a child, or another person is in immediate danger
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
Relationships Australia – 1300 364 277
Mensline – 1300 789 978
You can ask for a free interpreter if needed.
National Relay Service
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TTY users - phone 133 677 then ask for the phone number you wish to contact
Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users - phone 1300 555 727 then ask for the
phone number you wish to contact
Internet relay users - visit the National Relay Service website and ask for the phone number
you wish to contact